Reflector
by outerelf
Summary: Red Alert and Reflector have an odd friendship...
1. Chapter 1

Red Alert looked around the large room mournfully. He didn't know any of these mechs, nor did he think they wanted to know him. He fiddled with his hands for a moment, watching them walk around, chattering and talking.

_Well, here I am at an assembly to hand out special awards, and here I am, waiting for an nonexistent award._ Red Alert thought dryly. Only the smart, perfect students ever got an award. Glitchy students did not.

"Settle down!" Came the booming voice of the leader of the school. Teenaged younglings began to settle into their seats, looking up at the stage expectantly. Then came the Award Ceremony.

Red Alert sighed, wishing he had brought along something to do. He was already bored, and it had only been a breem. And this would last for nearly an orn. "And now, for photography and camera class-"

Red Alert looked up, noticing that three other mechs ahead of him by two rows also stiffened. Red Alert frowned at them. He didn't recall seeing much of them before, and they were always together. "In class we had a hard time choosing, and we at last came to a tie. One of which will be announced now, and the other later. And the mech that won Best Pictures was…. Reflector!"

All three mechs stood up, and as one they moved to take the certificate. Red Alert watched them come back. All were scowling about something. Red Alert stared at them for a moment longer, and at last shrugged.

It wasn't his problem. He was too busy trying to decide whether the rumor about Datasurface dating four others at a time was true. He had already caught him in the act twice now, but the other two, while they hung around, didn't seem to be making any covert moves-

Red Alert smirked as one of the unknown two leaned over, briefly trailing a hand down his leg in a most suggestive way. Quickly he glanced around, and seeing no teachers, he subspaced a datapad and scribbled down time, place, and made a mental note to follow them after the assembly.

Then, he straightened, subspacing the datapad in time to see 'Reflector' looking at him slightly curiously. Red Alert easily ignored it, and listened half-heartedly as everyone else received his or her certificates. Then, the ceremony at last came to an end.

Red Alert easily tracked the two mechs, by now giggling, as they left the school hall, casually drifting away from the main body of students. Reflector followed them as well, and Red Alert guessed he wasn't the only one who was digging up blackmail on others around school. For Red Alert, it was necessary. His paranoia demanded a shield against hurt, and blackmail was the most effective shield yet.

Red Alert moved from sight as the two threw glances over their shoulders to make sure that no other students were following. Reflector also was out of sight, and Red Alert could see one of them pressed against the side of the building, the other two somewhere beyond optic range. He could find them using scanners, but the scans would no doubt tip off the two students that he was there.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Reflector regarded the other mech coolly, wondering if the red and white Lamborghini would disappear any time soon. Then, to their surprise, the mech suddenly swung up a ladder, heading towards the second floor, just as the two students he was stalking entered the building. The Lamborghini leaned out the window, and motioned to one of him, Viewfinder, and then disappeared back inside.

Spectro was the closest, and he easily swung up before waiting for Viewfinder and Spyglass to get in. They then confronted the Lamborghini. "Who are you?"

The mech made a shushing gesture before opening a private pager line to them. : _I'm Red Alert. I take it you're on the hunt for Blackmail as well?_:

: _Yes…_: They replied warily. Red Alert nodded at them, and gestured.

: _I heard them talk about the second floor, third door._: Red Alert said, optics cutting into their optics sharply. : _Do you wish to work together?_:

Reflector considered for a moment, and they nodded.

Smoothly they transformed into a camera, which Red Alert picked up. : _You know how to use me properly, right?_: Reflector asked warily.

Red Alert eyed him for a moment, and then nodded. He slipped backwards, silent as a ghost, as the two, now kissing, mechs made their way past them onto their way to the room.

Quieter then what Reflector would've thought possible, Red Alert crept after them with all of the skills he had learned from avoiding various caretakers since he had first glitched.

As the two began to engage in interfacing and overloading each other, Red Alert raised Reflector, allowing Reflector to zoom in as far as he wanted. Then, he shifted to various spots, just hidden outside of their range.

At last, Red Alert moved backwards, and Reflector printed the pictures. "Here you go. A copy for you."

Red Alert nodded, and the three mechs that made up Reflector nodded back, and they separated.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0ol

Red Alert saw Viewfinder the next day as they both scouted out a possible blackmail material. Datasurface had yet another mech after them, and was taking full advantage of this fact. Red Alert had a camera for recording in one hand, and he had apparently used this location before, for their was a peek hole around the corner which would perfectly capture both. As the two stared at each other, Reflector offered, "Do you wish to go into a partnership? I get some of the blackmail material, you get the things I can not, and we trade?"

Red Alert considered it thoughtfully, and then shrugged. "I need to see how good of a mech you are first."

Red Alert froze as he heard something Reflector couldn't, and he turned, abruptly vanishing into a nearby building. Viewfinder followed quickly, wondering what had tipped Red Alert off. Half a breem later, a teacher came by.

Red Alert smirked, bringing up the camera as he eased into position. "Datasurface!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll give you the usual."

Both Reflector and Red Alert perked up at that. Viewfinder began recording, as the other two pelted off to join him. Red Alert made minute adjustments to his camera, muttering about quality and the shooting. Reflector transformed into a camera a few moments later, and together they began gathering the blackmail of the teacher being bribed off by Datasurface.

A few breems later they were satisfied. Red Alert hummed to himself as he stored several different recording on different datapads, flicking them into different subspaces.

_Huh. I've done a little digging up on him, but he seem to have a blank background-_ Red Alert stood up, and waved goodbye to Reflector absent mindedly before setting off once more.

Reflector balanced on the edge of following him, and at last Spyglass slipped after him as the other two headed back for home. Red Alert moved through the streets quickly, never once glancing back, until he at last turned the corner to an sparkling home where unwanted sparks were abandoned. Reflector paused at that, and Red Alert said over his shoulder, "Spyglass, isn't it?"

Spyglass came out warily. "You know my name?"

"I did a little digging on you, just like you did with me." Red Alert said, and turned. "Satisfied?"

There was a dangerous hint to his voice, a danger which threatened Spyglass that if it wasn't enough, Red Alert would _make_ it enough. Spyglass nodded, mirroring Reflectors thoughts, before turning and vanishing into the crowds, wondering how Red Alert had managed to realize he was there. But, his work here was done. He now knew where Red Alert lived, and could base his blackmailing opportunities about him around the orphanage.

Red Alert watched him go, before turning back to the orphanage. He entered silently, gliding up the stair to his room, where he disassembled and began cleaning out his camera.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

For the next few months, wherever Red Alert went during school for blackmail purposes, he could expect another one of Reflectors three bodies to pop up. _It's a wonder we didn't bump into each other more often._ Red Alert thought dryly. There were other times, when both were out wandering the streets that they might bump into each other. Red Alert scouting for potential blackmail, or just enjoying the day when he wasn't glitchy, Reflector doing something that he never told Red Alert.

And Red Alert frankly didn't really care. He had his own problems, and he had to deal with them as they came.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Spectro froze as a large group of mechs surrounded him, each of them looking angry. There was no escape. Spyglass and Viewfinder were rushing to him, but Reflector knew they'd be too late. Spectro would be beaten painfully by the time they got their. And he didn't have his blackmail-

Red Alert squeaked as he was roughly shoved into the circle as well. Spectro looked at him, and both their optics met each others, terrified, and knowing exactly what was about to happen.

And, because Reflector had one mind, three bodies, but one mind, when the first blows began to land, all three crumpled up in agony. He could distantly hear Red Alert struggling somewhere, and there was a sudden scream of pain from the mechs as Red Alert shrieked, horns going bright blue.

In some, fascinated part of Reflectors CPU, he simply watched as Red Alert fought back, his glitch demanding nothing less.

Mechs began to leave Reflector alone to try to deal with Red Alert as his maniacal shrieks and screams began to rent the air, drawing unwanted attention. "Mute him already!" Someone yelled.

Someone attempted to get close, but was stopped as Red Alert bit them; fear and hatred making him resort to the lowest form of fighting. There was a yelp of pain, and then they drew back as a teachers voice drifted out of nowhere. "What's going on?"

The mechs who had been ganging up on them quickly and smoothly vanished. The teacher reached them, and instantly stopped. Red Alert stared at her, and slowly began backing up, terrified. Reflector slowly picked himself off the ground as she grabbed her comm. link, speaking into it. "Principal, Red Alerts glitched! We need a couple of medics, and theirs another student who was harmed. We need someone to find the other two mechs of Reflector-"

Spyglass and Viewfinder came out of the darkness, Reflector drawing them to him. Red Alert stiffened as they came perilously close. But the two ignored him as they bent over Spectro. Adult mechs began encircling the area, and Red Alert instantly seemed to recognize them, for he broke and ran, attempting to get away. "Catch him!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Red Alert sat down at the small table in the very corner of the cafeteria, back against the wall. His optics tracked the other mechs flowing about him, twice as jumpy and nervous after the beating he had gotten two cycles ago. Both cycles had spent in the hospital, and now Red Alert was finally back at school.

Reflector entered the cafeteria, and instantly spotted him. To keep from seeming like he was crowding Red Alert, Spyglass and Viewfinder separated to separate corners of the cafeteria to keep track of the gossip going on as Spectro approached Red Alert.

"Red Alert."

"Reflector?" Red Alert looked startled to see him.

"Yes, have you give testimony as to who attacked you?"

"No, but I plan on hacking into the school cameras to see if I can't find out that way." Red Alert replied evenly.

Reflector looked at him steadily, and Red Alert smirked as he reached up, a small computer Reflector hadn't noticed before, attaching itself to the camera above. "School cameras are rather old, so it's easy to hack into their memory files." Red Alert explained.

"And you're doing it in full view of the cafeteria?"

Red Alerts hand retracted, and he pulled out a holopad, and began to move through the cameras history. Reflector watched, impressed. Red Alert cursed after a few moments. "Their horrible! Camera angle all wrong, the video feed all wrong-"

Reflector leaned across Red Alerts shoulder, and Red Alert stiffened. Reflector ignored this as Reflector tapped the pad. "Tilt the camera up a degree and the pictures would actually look nice."

Red Alert nodded, and twitched out from beneath Reflector. "Why were they after you anyways?"

"Oh, I managed to beat one of their members at a photography competition." Reflector said airily. "As if there was any competition! I obviously have the best of the pictures."

Red Alert was mildly curious. "May I see?"

Reflector stared at Red Alert for a moment, surprised, and then handed them off. "Certainly."

Red Alert flipped through the pictures, lingering on each one, noticing small things in the picture. "I like how you got the acid rain to reflect off of these low-flying jets." Red Alert said at last, tapping one of them. "But… the building in the background was ugly and unnecessary."

Reflector nodded. "It was, but they wouldn't allow us to edit the pictures at all. Not even to define or blur a few edges."

"Like here, right? You wanted to blur a few of these edges."

Reflector nodded eagerly. "You know a little about taking pictures obviously."

"I studied it a little, to help be better at what I do." Red Alert replied. Still looking intently at eh pictures. Reflector smirked triumphantly. Maybe now he could finally have a intelligent conversation about the merits of picture taking.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Red Alert didn't twitch as the three mechs flanked him. It was becoming more and more often for the past few months, and Reflector said softly, "I thought you'd might like to see this."

Curious, Red Alert took the pictures. He loved the clarity of which Reflector was able to get the pictures at, and had to admit that they were all beautiful. And the conversations they had about the pictures were stimulating. "Oh, wow. These are good. I like this one of the towers. Did you ever think of becoming a professional?"

"That's what I'm planning on doing. To become a professional tabloid mech. I've been practicing here at school." Reflector admitted.

Red Alert nodded, and Reflector looked at Red Alert. "And you?"

"Me? I've… never really thought about it. School isn't a necessity for me. I'm to be shipped off after I finish school to a psychiatrist faculty where they'll study me and try to help me." Red Alert said musingly. "I really haven't thought about it."

"That's a waste. With your blackmail skills you could become a good tabloid mech yourself." Reflector said, searching for Red Alerts expression.

Red Alert shook his head. "No. I'd rather become security."

"Security?"

"Yeah, they can control the entire building you know. I've seen a couple of security systems working, and their amazing. Just a single flip of a switch, and all of the mechs in a certain room can be cut off from the outside world for however long you want." Red Alert said, optics shining at the thought.

Reflector stared at Red Alert, and then looked away. "Hmph. If you say so."

Red Alert looked down at the pictures. "What sort of camera angle did you use for this one?" he asked, pointing to it.

Eager to explain and extol his virtues, all three mechs crowded close, pointing out the different angles, special things they liked- Red Alert listened avidly, interested in the explanations, and more then ready to absorb whatever tips he could get.

"By the way, about working together to gather blackmail…" Reflector said, leaving the sentence hanging. Red Alert stared at him, and then nodded.

"Deal."

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs

Ok…. Now that I have completely ruined Reflectors personality, just one more chapter. XD next chapter shall be about Earth.


	2. Chapter 2

Reflector scowled darkly at the wall, and all of the other Decepticons carefully avoided him. Reflector in this mood would use blackmail to kill a mech out of shame.

Reflector sighed heavily. _I really, __**really**__ want to have a good cleaning out and a talk about my pictures. But theirs not a single slaggin' Decepticon that actually likes pictures… Swindle is another fellow blackmailer, but I want to talk about more things then just blackmail, and talking to myself is at all fun._

Reflector paused, his CPU traveling back many vorns ago to a time when he and one other terrorized the school. _Why did he join the Autobots?_ He wondered, grousing. _He'd understand the art of blackmail._

Reflector snorted out loud, drawing a couple of surprised glances. Most mechs thought he simply stalked a mech to find their secrets out. They didn't realize that he also gathered information on what they liked as well Blackmail was as much of an art as anything else. _And I like to do other things then simply blackmail. Swindle simply likes Blackmail. I like to take optic-pleasing pictures as well._

Reflector considered leaving the base, but at last discarded it, thinking it was too much work. Unless… _I remember someone mentioning that __**he**__ should be out in town today._

The thought intrigued Reflector. _Maybe he'll clean me up, give me a proper fix up. Hooks good, but he's even better._

With that thought in mind, Reflector stood to move out. Starscream looked up scowling. "Where do you think you're going?"

"None of your business." Reflector stated, even as he tensed up.

Starscream was about to say something, when Reflector quickly threatened, "Say anything, and I swear that the video of you dancing an Irish jig painted pink will be given to Megatron gift wrapped."

Starscreams mouth shut fast, and Reflector moved up towards the surface.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Red Alert sighed, sinking further down onto his axels, as he hesitated in the mouth of the Arks exit. Ratchet had said that if Red Alert came near the Ark in the next cycle without a good reason such as actually being chased by Decepticons, or he was called back, Ratchet would weld him to the ceiling. One look at the already welded on Ironhide had convinced Red Alert that arguing was out of the picture.

Red Alerts thoughts paused at that; _It's been a long time since I thought about pictures. Certainly I've been blackmailing with camera footage, but I wonder…_

Red Alert firmly shook himself out of those thoughts, reminding himself that they had chosen different sides of the war. Red Alert a Autobot, and he a Decepticon. _Though, according to the rumors flying around base, I should be a Decepticon._ Red Alert thought bitterly. _I know I'm not well liked because of all the blackmail I had but…_

Red Alert shook himself once again. He had an entire free day, and Inferno had been called away on a fire. He was going to have a good time. Red Alert hesitated, and then flicked off his comm. link, but left his pager on. Silently he revved up his engine, and began to pull smoothly through the forest, not noticing a pair of optics that spotted him the moment he was out of base.

Red Alert drove up towards the coast of the state, and slowly the desert turned into a forest.

Red Alert wandered aimlessly through the forest, at last parking at a small outcropping of rock that overlooked a city and a beautiful ocean view. He changed, and sat their for a few moments, staring out at the view. _Reflector would love this scene._ Red Alert thought, and shook his head. He hadn't thought about his… fellow blackmailer, since friends might be stretching the term a little, for a very good reason. Both respected each other, each for their own skills, but the closest they had ever gotten to friendship was when Red Alert would clean out Reflector in camera mode.

Red Alerts smile grew slightly melancholy as he remembered the incident.

_Red Alert balanced on the edge of the street, optics glued on the scene taking place within the building. Reflector, changed into a camera, and Red Alert eased up against the side of the building, allowing Reflector to zoom in, and Reflector was about to say something, when a voice came out of nowhere. "What are you doing?"_

_Red Alert stiffened, turning. An old, almost decrepit mech stood their, peering at Red Alert closely. Red Alert struggled to get his vocalizer working, and then said quickly, "Sorry sir, my camera was broken, and I was attempting to figure out what was going on with it."_

_Reflector started fuming at that. He wasn't any common camera- the old mech said softly, "Would you like help?"_

"_Ah, no, that's ok. It's a very special camera, and I don't like anyone other then me to touch it." Red Alert said quickly, making Reflector breath in relief._

_Very well then," the old mech said. "I'll watch and advise."_

_Reflector cursed inwardly, and Red Alert backed up. "Oh, that isn't necessary-"_

"_Nonsense, I don't mind at all. Sit down, Sit down." Before Red Alert could protest, he was being sat down, and the old mech was looking at the camera closely._

_Reflector was furious, and the way he was vibrating in Red Alerts hands showed how furious he was. Red Alert gulped, and subspaced a soft cloth he used for his own cameras. Then, with a sorrowful sigh, he opened up Reflector._

_Reflector forced himself to hold still as Red Alerts hands carefully cleaned him out, disconnecting certain wires to clean out the grit that (supposedly) covered his wires, before once again reconnecting them. Reflectors angry humming slowly died down as he relaxed. Red Alerts hands were light, and he really was cleaning out Reflector, oil and small, tiny pieces of dust that were only barely noticeable were wiped away._

_**You know**__ Reflector thought, sighing in contentment. __**He's not bad at all. His touch is amazingly light. I can barely feel it-**_

_Red Alert suddenly withdrew his hands as the mech nodded. "You keep that up." _

_The old mech walked off, and Red Alert was about to close up Reflector, when Reflector said hurriedly, "Wait! Finish it!"_

_Red Alert, stunned, looked at the camera, who scowled. "What? You can't leave the job half done."_

_Red Alert sat still for a few moments longer, and then his hands once again plunged into his wiring, Reflector smirked in contentment. The lens was the last thing to be cleaned, and Red Alert was careful about polishing it up, and Reflector kept admirably silent about the fact that his lens was one of the more sensitive parts of him. He thought it was simply better to sit back and enjoy the free cleaning._

Red Alert shook his head. _It's not like I'm a medic._ Red Alert thought dryly. _Ratchet, or any other mech could've gotten him cleaner with less of a fuss then I did. But, even afterwards there were time he would claim that something was inside of him, and ask me to pull it out of him… I wonder why-_

Red Alert tensed, turning as he heard a soft sound behind him. His spark froze painfully as three mechs he knew all too well stepped out from among the trees. "Reflector."

A nod. And then, all three held up their hands to show that they were unarmed. Red Alert for his part didn't pull out his weapon, even though he had it stashed away in subspace. "I'm just here to get some pictures. No fighting."

Red Alert warily moved to one side, optics tracking the three mechs as they calmly walked up, and transformed. Reflector knew he was taking a big chance, but right now he was weary of the backstabbing of Decepticons, and wanted to simply relax and talk pictures. That was why he had stalked Red Alert from the Ark. "Red Alert, could you lift me? I want to get a better angle."

A slight smile quirked Red Alerts lips as he stepped forward. He had no wish to be fighting, and even if Reflector was a Decepticon, and they had both traded blows more then once on a battlefield… memories of school and old times arose. They had been enemies for thousands of years, which made them almost like friends. "You're actually going to trust me?"

"Well, it's against Autobot ideals to attack someone who hasn't attacked first." Reflector replied calmly. He was slightly tense about Red Alert, his instincts bred from being a Decepticon warning him against this.

Red Alert surprised both of them by laughing suddenly. _How about this, here we are, tense about trusting each other, but willing to do so._ "So, how's blackmailing going?"

"The same. Starscream-"

Red Alert stiffened at the name, and Reflector fell silent. He had heard a second-hand account of the events of Auto-Berserk, and had been furious. While he inwardly approved of the idea of Red Alert becoming a Decepticon, he didn't like the rumors of the treatment Starscream had apparently give Red Alert.

Red Alert, as a fellow blackmailer, deserved better then Starscream, and Starscream had since found bits and pieces of his more embarrassing parts of his life being left around the base. Including a picture of him being painted bright pink and doing the Irish jig on the bulletin board. Reflector had left it their just moments before leaving the base.

"Red Alert?" He questioned, scanning Red Alert quickly. Red Alerts spark pulse was slightly erratic, and he was trembling.

Red Alert shook himself, and picked up Reflector, forcing his spark to calm down. His hands were shaking slightly, and Reflector grumbled, "A little lower! I don't want the town, just the sea."

"But isn't the town a good foreground?" Red Alert asked, reminding Reflector of the days they were in school, and Red Alert would be the only student interested in what he had to say.

"No, right now it's day time, during sunset it should be pretty enough."

Reflector took a few pictures, red Alert adjusting accordingly to his demands and questions. Silence fell for a few moments before he asked, "Could I get a lift though town since I don't have a moveable alt-mode? I've heard that the architecture is marvelous."

Red Alert hesitated, and then sighed, changing into his Alt-mode. Reflector transformed, hopped in, and then once again reverted to camera mode, and Red Alert took off at a slow, steady pace through the woods down to town.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The town was beautiful, and picture perfect. One of the Postcard towns that most people didn't think existed. There was a single church, used by all the different religions, each one taking turns. Most humans were in the Church currently, so Red Alert was one of the few cars rolling down the streets.

"Stop here!" Reflector snapped, and Red Alert pulled up in front of a house with a white picket fence. A cherry tree leaned across the fence, scattering its blossoms onto the street. "I heard that they had a Cherry Tree lane, full of Japanese cherry trees." Reflector crowed, "But I didn't actually think they did."

Red Alert smirked as he dumped Reflector out and transformed, bending down to hold Reflector at precisely the angle he wanted. Reflector snapped off a couple of pictures, before Red Alert once again transformed, taking down the street.

Then, Red Alert unexpectedly frowned, as he got a pager: _Red Alert, look out. We just received information that several Decepticons are in the same area as you are._:

Red Alert stopped in the middle of the street, and he suddenly activated his comm. link. "Prime, you wished to tell me something?"

"Yes, you have about three Decepticons inside of the same area you are in currently."

Red Alert hesitated, and Reflector tensed, wondering if he was going have to scramble out. "Very well Sir. I will keep an optic out for unfriendly mechs."

Red Alert shut off the comm. link, and Reflector said humorously, "So… you're not going to turn me in?"

"I said I'd report if I spotted an unfriendly mech. So far I've seen _three_ mechs, and not one of them have been unfriendly so far." Red Alert replied calmly. "Now, where too next?"

"To see if we can't find the lane of cherry blossoms."

Red Alert hummed in response, and smoothly pulled back, and turned around the corner, searching further into town, using his smell to track down the heady, overpowering smell of blossoms.

Reflector cheered as they suddenly entered a blizzard of pink, its soft petals scattering around them in cyclone. "Now this is what I'm talking about!"

Red Alert slowly inched forward, allowing Reflector plenty of time to take pictures. It was nearly five earth hours before Reflector got tired, and Red Alert noticed it was about what humans called lunchtime. "Would you like to go down to the beach?"

"NO! I see enough water anyways, what with our base being underwater."

"I heard the coral reefs are spectacular."

"You're thinking Australia!" Reflector proclaimed. "Not Oregon."

Red Alert shrugged, a soft, quick shudder through the car. He had no idea. _CPU, mental note. Think about going to Australia sometime soon._

Reflector and Red Alert wandered through town until Sunset at last began to slowly encroach upon the ground. "Too bad we're not on the other side of the States." Red Alert said, slightly wistfully. "They have these little bugs that can light up."

"You're lying." Reflector accused.

Red Alert disagreed. "No, I'm not. I got to see it once when Optimus Prime went to Washington D.C. Tiny bugs, about the size of Microchips, sometimes larger, sometimes smaller, were flying around. And they had light on the back of them."

Reflector was silent for a moment, and then said softly, "You know, I might be able to get free time within five human days to take a two-three day vacation. That's about how long it should take, right?"

"If you obey traffic laws, yes." Red Alert agreed. "And if you're a car. But…"

"I'll have TC drop me off then. I'll bribe him into it." Reflector said airily, not worried. He was more interested in the idea of bugs being able to light themselves up. Red Alert snickered, guessing what Reflector was thinking, and he drove up out of town, back up to the outcropping of rock.

"May I join you?"

"You have to come." Reflector snorted. 'If you don't, how the in the pits will I know what I'm looking at?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

At sunset they returned back to the outcropping of rocks above the tiny, idyllic town. "Humans have pretty buildings, but I don't like them themselves." Reflector mused out loud. "Much too smelly, nasty, and their not even created by Primus."

"Do not sound like Sunstorm." Red Alert squawked. "You start sounding like Sunstorm, I swear I will dump you out right here. It was bad enough listening to him threaten to destroy me throughout school for being a glitch. I don't need that from you."

Reflector snarled, "Well, at least you had an actual reason! He just threatened to offline because I have one mind but three bodies!"

Red Alert realized something. "Do you count as three or one vote?"

Reflector didn't say anything, and Red Alert dropped it, smoothly stopping infront of a particular outcropping of rock.

Reflector fell silent, and they sat in silence at the rocks for a few moments, before Reflector transformed and got out of Red Alert, allowing Red Alert to transform into his mech form. They settled, side-by-side. Finally Reflector said, "How have the Autobots been treating you?"

"The usual."

Reflector considered Red Alert for a moment, who simply shrugged. "At least they still aren't talking behind my back. More then usual. They have different things to worry about."

Reflector decided to drop it and ask for something else. Something that he had wanted for a very long time. "Any chance of getting a proper cleaning out? My lenses have always gotten smudged. Hook is good, but he doesn't know how."

Red Alert sighed, a weary sound. "Change."

Reflector changed into a camera, and Red Alert opened him up with a quick click, and began sorting through him, cleaning out grit and carefully cleaning the lens. Reflector purred inwardly in contentment. _It's been a long, long time since I've felt properly cleaned out. Hooks good, but oh Primus. Red Alert really knows a cameras system._ At last Red Alert snapped the panel back into place, and Reflector transformed into his mech form. "Thank you Red Alert."

Red Alert nodded, and Reflector pulled out his album. "I got some new pictures since we last talked. Want to see them?"

Red Alert nodded eagerly. Reflector said suddenly, "You know, I also have a few blackmail files of Starscream. When you look at them you will never be able to look at him without laughing."

Red Alert froze, and Reflector pulled them out. "This, is when he was painted bright pink, and as part of a dare, did an Irish jig."

Red Alert looked at the pictures, and his shoulders began to shake. Reflectors smile grew cruel as he considered Starscreams reactions if he found out Red Alert ever saw this. _Ah, what the slag, I'll bribe him into not killing Red Alert._

The night slowly fell, encircling the two with her forgiving black wings, blotting out all signs of their allegiance, and once again reverting them to two younglings. Conversation about how each picture, where it had been taken, the angles, the editing, everything was discussed, even as Viewfinder kept up a silent, wary alert for any of the Autobots or Decepticons.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Inferno was beginning to panic. Red Alert had been gone for longer then his cycle. Much longer. And he had switched his comm. link off. Finally, unable to help himself, he paged Red Alert. :_Red Alert?_:

There was a moment, and then Red Alert flicked on his comm. link. "Inferno?"

Ratchet appeared, and he too switched onto the comm. link frequency. "Red? Where are ya? I expected ya back orns ago."

Red Alert was silent for a few moments, stunned, before saying slowly, "Well, I've been a little distracted-"

"Where are ya?" Inferno suddenly asked. "I'll come and pick ya up."

"That isn't necessary Inferno." Red Alert said quickly, even as Reflector began to think about disappearing. "I'll be coming along soon-"

Red Alert and Reflector both stiffened at the same time as an all too familiar sound reached them. "Slag." Red Alert breathed. "Inferno, I'm not coming back to the Ark for tonight. I'm catching the sound of Starscreams engines, and I know if I try to get back I'll get caught. I'll hide out."

Red Alert snapped off the comm. link and pager. "Bye Reflector."

Reflector watched as Red Alert pulled off, heading back into town. "Red Alert, don't get captured. I still want to see those Fireflies!"

Red Alert vanished, and Reflector glared up at Starscream as he activated his comm. link. "Starscream."

"You little slagger- I'll kill you!" Starscream howled. "You dared to put up that picture!"

Reflector gulped, and all three scattered in different directions.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Red Alert grumbled as he drove slowly into the Ark. Reflector had contacted him, telling Red Alert it was clear. And Red Alert had hurriedly gotten back to the Ark. Inferno was waiting in the entrance. "Y'all right Red?"

"Fine Inferno." Red Alert sighed. "Just fine."

Ratchet appeared like magic, scowling. "What happened?"

"I… I saw Starscream heading towards the area. It looks like he wasn't after me though. It looked like he was after Reflector-"

"Reflector!" Both Ratchet and Inferno traded odd looks.

"Yes, Reflector. He was screaming something about pink and an irish jig." Red Alert said musingly.

"You need another vacation." Ratchet said firmly.

"But-"

"No. You are taking another vacation. Soon."

"But-"

"Red Alert, you take a vacation, a nice, _week-long_ vacation, within five days, or I will weld you to the ceiling like I did Ironhide."

Red Alert winced, and nodded.

Reflector, somewhere else, considered, _Who knows. Maybe I'll be able to corner REd Alert again for a good cleaning out._

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs

This was just pointless. I know. But I felt like writing it after I got so many complaints about my last story...


End file.
